DERBYSHIRE DALES: Virtual police surgery is a ‘success’

A question and answer session hosted by the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak licensing team has been hailed a ‘great success’.

Sergeant Mark Wright was joined by licensing experts from across the area for the two-hour virtual surgery held on Derbyshire Constabulary’s website.

It was the first of its kind for the licensing team and offered pub, club and bar staff across the two districts the chance to ask questions directly to officers and receive full, detailed responses.

Topics under discussion on the day included the force’s Intoxicated campaign, how licensees can get themselves and their staff trained in licensing law, whether Intoxicated will be rolled out to other areas and issues surrounding refusing to serve alcohol to a drunk.

A large number of licensees logged in to the surgery, on Tuesday, January 22, and anyone who missed it can read the transcript online at www.derbyshire.police.uk.

Licensing Sgt Mark Wright, who led the event, said: “It was extremely encouraging to see licensees joining in the chat and asking us the questions that matter to them.

“The whole point of the online surgery was to make it more convenient for licensees to talk to us directly, rather than at physical meetings when they cannot often make it due to pressures on their time.

“Our Intoxicated campaign is aimed at making premises in the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak safe and enjoyable to visit, and it was pleasing that licensees asked us more about it and showed their enthusiasm for it rolling out further.

“The surgery was a great success and we will be holding them again in the not too distant future – so I’d urge any licensees to log on and have their say.”

To view the full transcript of the virtual surgery, visit www.derbyshire.police.uk and click on the My Local Police page, then scroll down and select ‘Virtual Surgeries’.